It Just Got Much Easier to Support Companies That Support Women

Image via YouTube

Consumers have power, and a lot of it. They have the power to choose not only which awesome sneaker they’ll buy or which gross sandwich they’ll eat, but which companies they’ll punish—and which they’ll support. That’s why a new app, called Buy Up Index, seeks to help consumers make easy, ethical choices. Buy Up grades a company on how good they are for women, and then makes those grades available—right on your phone.

For a lot of consumers, it can be difficult to make the right choice without an exhaustive (and boring) Google search. Buy Up Index allows users to type in a brand, or explore an industry, and get answers immediately. Grades are based on the following: the company’s dedication to women’s leadership, the quality of the work environment (Is there paid maternity leave? Does the company report and support diversity?), and the inventiveness of its advertising (Do the ads break stereotypes, or do they confirm them?) The more women on the company’s board, the more services they offer, the more imaginative their advertising, the higher the score.

For companies who are embarrassed by their score, the solution is simple: simply improve their practices. Currently, Buy Up has chosen approximately 800 products/brands to grade, but their hope is to investigate even more. Check out more from Buy Up Index here, or download their awesome new app here.